Flue-cleaner



H. W. HUBBARD.

( No Model.)

FLUE CLEANER.

WW MKM To all whom it may concern:

UNITED STATES4 lIIIRAM IV. IIUBBARD, OF PAINTED POST, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO I'IUBBARD & OO., OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

PATENT EErcE.

IFLUE-CLEANER.

sPEcIFIcATIoN forming part of Letters Patent No. 589,086, dated August 31, 1897. Application filed January 6, 1897. Serial No. 618,127. (No model- Be it known that I, HIRAM W. HUBBARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Painted Post, in the county of Steuben and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Elue-Cleaners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to that class of flue-Scrapers which consist'of a central stern and longitudinal toggle arms or links pivotally connected at their ends to a pair of heads, one of which is movable on the central stem and held in position by a spring, whereby the arms which carry the scraper-blades are yieldingly held in their expanded position.

My invention has for its object to connect the scraper-arms with the heads of the cleaner without the use of bolts or rivets and without requiring machine-work, so as to simplify the construction of the device and reduce its cost.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a flue-cleaner containing my improvement. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section thereof. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are crosssections of the same in lines 3 3, 4 4, and 5 5, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section in line G 6, Fig. 2.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A is the central rod or stem, which carries Y the parts of the Hue-cleaner and which is provided at one endl with the usual screw-coupling A for receiving theV front end of the handle, which latteris notshown in the drawings.

B B' represent the links of the jointed or toggle arms,which latter are arranged lengthwise and radially around'the central stem and carry the usual scrapers or blades B2 at their jointed salient portions.

O is the stationary head, which is keyed or otherwise secured to the rear portion of the central stein and-to which the rear ends of the toggle-arms are pivotally connected. The rear portions of the toggle-arms are fitted loosely in radial slots or mortisesformed inthe fixed head C, the rear portions c of these slots extending from the bore to the periphery of the xed head, as shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3, while .their front portions c terminate at a 'distance fromthe periphery, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, so that these front portions are closed at their outer ends and open into the bore of the head at their inner ends. Each of the scraperarms is provided at its rear end with a head or enlargementv d, which is arranged in the rear portion c of the adjacent slot of the head, and on the inner side of said head with a neck or contracted portion CZ', seated in the closed 6o front portion c of said slot. The closed portions of the slots are made of such a depth that when the fixed head is in place on the central stem the latter willhold the necks of the scraper-arms at the closed ends of the slots, so that their heads or enlargements d abut against the stops or shoulders e, formed at the junction ofythe open and closed portions of the slots, as shown in Fig. 2. The closed portions of these slots are rounded at 7o their rear ends, and the heads of the scraperarms are correspondingly rounded or convex to permit the necessary pivotal action of the arms as they expand and contract.

F is a retaining cap or collar applied to the central stem A on the rear side of the stationary head C and having in its front end a concave seat or socket f, which receives the reduced rear portion of said head and overlaps the enlargements CZ of the scraper-arms, 8o whereby the same are held against rearward displacement in the slots of the head. The scraper-arms are thus held against longitudinal displacement in one direction-by their end enlargements bearing against the shoulders c and in the opposite directions by the retaining-collar F. This collar is preferably provided with an internal screw-thread which engages with an external thread of the` central stem, as shown in Fig. 2.

G is the movable or yielding head, towhich the frontv ends of the scraper-arms are pivotally attached. This head is arranged to slide on the central stem and consists of a collar g, surrounding the central stem, and a disk g', arranged at the rear end of said eollarand having a rearwardly-extendingl marginal flange g2. In this diskA and ,flange 'are formed radial slots, recesses, or mortisesg3, which extend to the edge of the iiange and Ioo in which the front portions of the scraperarms are loosely fitted. The scraper-arms are provided at their front ends with crossbars, T heads, or trnnnions g1, which are arranged on the inner side of the marginal fiange g2 so as to retain the arms in the slots of the sliding head, while at the same time allowing the same to-move freely toward and from the center stem. The T-hcads of the scraper-arms are confined in the slots ot the movable head by a cap or plate Il, applied to the front side of the said head and closing the open ends of the slots. This cap has a central opening for the passage of the central stem and is preferably provided with an internal screw-thread engaging with an external thread gi of the collar g, as shown in Fig.

I is the spring, w'hich resists the forward movement of the movable head and tends constantly to hold the scraper-arms in their expanded position, and J is the adjustingsleeve, whereby the tension of the spring is regulated by compressing the same more or less. The spring surrounds the center stem and bears at its rear end against-the collar of the movable head G and at its front end against a head or flange arranged at the rear end of the adjusting-sleeve J. This sleeve engages with the central stein by means of a screw-thread and is clamped in position after adjustment by a jam-nut 7c.

Z represents a stop-pin mounted on the central stem for limiting the rearward movement of the sliding head.

In assembling the parts of the flue-cleaner the T-heads of the scraper-bars are first engaged with the radial slots of the movable head G and the cap II is then applied to the head. The rear ends of the arms are then placed in the radial slots of the rear head C and the een tral stem A is then passed through the two heads, whereby the rear ends of the arms are held at the outer closed ends of the slots, with their enlargements d seated in the open rear portions c of the slots. The rear head C is then secured to the central stem and the retaining-collar F screwed into place, after which the spring I, ad justing-sleeve J, and jam-nut 7s are applied to the opposite end of the central stem.

It will be observed that in my improved flue-cleaner the scraper-arms are pivotally connected with the fixed and sliding heads by means of interlocking parts formed integrally with the heads and arms, thus dispensing with rivets, bolts, or other separate connect-ions and requiring no machine-Work, and reducing the cost of the device correspondingly. By this construction the parts can also be assembled in less time than by the use of rivets or bolts, thus effecting a further saving in the cost of manufacture.

I claim as my inventionl. In a fine-cleaner, the combination with a central rod or stem, of a head surrounding said stem and provided With radial slots opening into the bore thereof, scraper-arms having` one of their ends fitted loosely in said slots and bearing against said central stem and provided at their ends with enlargements, a retaining cap or collar for preventing displacement of said enlargements in said slots, a second head also arranged on the central rod, and means for attaching the opposite ends of the scraper-arms to the lastnamed head, substantially as set forth.

2. In a flue-cleaner, the combination with a central rod or stem, of a head surrounding said stem having a reduced rear portion and provided with radial slots extending outwardly from the bore of the head, the front portions of said slots being closed at their outer ends and their rear portions being open at their outer ends, scraper-arms seated with one of their end portions in the closed portions of said slots and provided at their ends with heads or enlargements arranged in the open portions of said slots, a retaining cap or collar bearing against said enlargements and inclosin g the reduced rear portion of said head, a second head also arranged on said central rod, and means for attaching the opposite ends of the scraper-arms to the lastnamed head, substantially as set forth.

3. In a flue-cleaner, the combination with a central rod or stem, of scraper-arms each provided at one end with a T-head or crossbar, a head surrounding said central stem and provided with radial slots which admit said T-heads, a retaining-cap whereby said T-heads are confined in place in the head, a Second head also arranged on said central rod, and means for attaching the opposite ends of the scraper-arms to the last-named head, substantially as set forth.

l. In a flue-cleaner, the combination with a central rod or stem, of a head surrounding said stem and having a marginal flange provided with radial slots extending inwardly from its edge into the head, scraper-arms having one of their end portions loosely fitted in said slots and provided at their ends with T-heads or trunnions bearing against the inner side of said marginal flange, a retainingcap which covers the open ends of said slots,

a second head also arranged on said central rod, and means for attaching the opposite ends of the scraper-arms to the last-named head, substantially as set forth.

5. In a flue-cleaner, the combination with a central rod or stem, of a head surrounding said stem and having an externally-Screwthreaded collar and a marginal flange provided with radial slots extending inwardly IIO from its edge into the head, scraper-arms having one of their end portions fitted loosely in said slots and provided at their ends with T-heads or trunnions, a screw-cap engaging with said screw-threaded collar, a second head also arranged on said central rod, and means for attaching the opposite ends of the scraperarms to the last-named head, substantially as set forth.

6. In a fine-cleaner, the combination with a central rod or stem, of a fixed head surrounding said stem and provided with radial slots openingV into the bore thereof, a yielding head also surrounding the central stern and having a marginal flange provided with radial slots extending inwardly from its edge into the head, jointed scraper-arms provided at one end with enlargements arranged in the radial slots of said fixed head, and at their opposite ends with T-heads arranged in the 1o slots of said yielding. head, and retainingcaps whereby the ends of the scraper-arms are conined'in their respective slots, substantially 'as set forth.

Witness my hand this 24th day of December, 1896.

HIRAM W. HUBB ARD.

lVitnesses:

JNO. J. BONNER, ELLA R. DEAN. 

